World’s best cities - A reality check

THOUGH the Economist Intelligence Unit’s top ten list of the best cities to live in may be a little more than a tad Anglo-centric — eight of the ten are in English- speaking countries — it does point to the things we all need, most of us anyway, to live contented lives.

The findings were made on a criteria that considered levels of stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure in each of the cities.

Just days before we vote we could do worse than consider how Ireland fares under these headings and how an incoming government might improve those ratings.

Despite all of our difficulties Dublin, at 46th, made it into the top half of 140 cities considered. Maybe this reality is why we haven’t taken to the streets.